Jewish leaders criticize kosher inspector cuts

Jewish leaders are criticizing layoffs at New York state's kosher law enforcement division that are a result of budget cuts.
The division's eight inspectors and an assistant were laid-off Jan. 1. The cuts were implemented under former Gov. David Paterson. Only the division's director is still employed.
The Orthodox Union's Rabbi Menachem Genack told The Wall Street ...

4 comments

I have trouble understanding why state government should be spending tax money to enforce what is essentially a religious requirement. Doesn’t this violate the concept of separation of church and state?

Mr Jerry Brown…The NYS Kosher law was enacted in 2004 to require New Your manufacturers of Kosher products (over 82,000) to register with NYS. After Israel, New York is the world’s largest manufacturer and consumer of Kosher prducts. Kosher products command a premium price and there is a great potential for dishonest manufacturers to defraud the public and rip-off consumers of Kosher products. The kosher law is a consumer law and the enforcement division was formed to serve the consumer public.

So many orthodox groups are divided over which rabbi’s certification is strictly kosher under their group’s standards so why not let each group finance their chosen rabbi that will give them the comfort they desire consuming the products and use the funds and fines to prosecute the fraudulent purveyors?